Google to masses: Safety first!

If you use Google’s email service, you probably got this short message recently: “Soon you’ll sign in with 2-Step Verification.”

It’s not a question, it’s not advice or a prompt to opt in — or opt out. The internet giant will soon require all its users to take an extra step when they log in to their Google account. Two-step verification, or two-factor authentication as it’s sometimes called, means that after entering your password, you’ll be asked for a temporary code to access your account.

You can get this code by linking a mobile phone number to your account and getting a text or a call with the temporary code. Or you can use an authenticator app, such as Google’s own, that generates codes every few seconds.

Either way, the idea is to make your account more secure and less susceptible to hacking. To be honest, users should probably have it turned on already. While you’re at it, check your other email, financial and social media accounts, where this safer login option is still just an option rather than a requirement. It’s not too late — until it is.